The short answer is yes it should be. Modern cars that get any amount of water inside (flood cars) are almost impossible to restore. You may have the adjuster tell you “we can dry it out, the damage is actually $1,000” or some such nonsense but once it gets to the repair shop they can deal directly with the insurer and get that rejected.

When these large loss events happen the insurance companies hire a lot of independent adjusters and pay them according to how many claims they can process quickly. That will lead to making mistakes in favor of the insurance company. The experienced adjusters that will make the final decision are well aware that the electronic components in todays cars are pretty much toast if they are exposed to water, especially brackish or salt water as is common in the recent Florida flooding.

The next issue will be the payout. The insurance company will make you an offer and probably push you to settle right away. Make them put the offer in writing (email) and show you where they got the figure from (CCC Value One, Mitchell Valuation etc). A phone call “sorry about your flood loss totaled car, but I do have your check here, want us to mail it?” is no good.  Does the amount include tax? Can you get the same car in the same condition for that amount?

Check our articles on total loss claims for more info on how to deal with that issue and it is always free to call us for a consultation. there is no upfront cost for our service either, we bill at time of settlement.